Blog Pimping Tine

It's been ages since I last pimped a blog for no other reason than it's a good blog and it's a habit I want to get back into. so I am thinking no other blog is more worth pimping right now than Blog-Con given the lofty aims. 

I also have to admit to not being 100% neutral regards this blog as I have been allowed to help James with the event and whilst I have yet to scribble any posts on the blog so far I have posting rights (scary stuff I know).

I think quite a few have an idea or two what this con is about but I fully recommend heading over to the blog and seeing for yourself how it is progressing. So far the blog just has 21 followers which I have to say surprises me as it's going to be great to follow developments even if you can't make the show. After all, this is a show for wargame bloggers, but actually it's more than just that. Please read on and I hope I can shine some light on a few points that you may not yet know.

James has been having a spell of idea churning, three off the top of my head is the Bloggers for Charity, second one was the Wargamers Community Currency and thirdly Blog-Con, lets have a quick look at these in turn.

Bloggers for Charity.

James wants to put on a game that will raise money for selected charities, these being Men Matter and Help for Heroes. Not that it's just a game, that would be an idea, to make it great needs rather more thought and indeed this is what James has done and with the help he has received from other notable bloggers it's really grown. So if you want to know more nip over via the link and have a look round.

Wargamers Community Currency.

This will be a slow burner as it needs to spread around the hobby and as it does it will gather momentum. I have a few things I need to put up, it's just getting round to it, so watch this space. But the idea in a nutshell is that us bloggers set up a page with a list of the items we are looking to trade away and what we would want for them. Or even just one or two lists as we see fit. The more that do it the more readers will look for it and the more successful it will become. It takes e-bay out of the equation a little and can create a little movement on the lead mountains around the hobby.

Blog-Con.

This I think is the big one, this looks to be something that has years ahead of it and boy do I think it will grow, and grow quickly because one thing you need to know from the start, all those who can make the first year are not only going to have a great time but automatically have bragging rights over everyone else. It's going to be a bit like being able to say you saw Led Zepp live with Bongo on the drums!

Stating the obvious it's for wargamers who run blogs, but it's also for those who just follow blogs too. But what may not be so obvious it's for the friends of those who run blogs too. So if you are a blogger with mates who maybe just checks your blog out or not even that, they are still welcome, of course if they end up getting into blogs so much the better. What it is not is a fully open to all type of con as we want the blogging theme to carry through the whole event.

This is more social than game, as such an area just to chill and chat is being made available and name badges with your blog name if applicable are hoped to be offered, this putting names and blogs to faces. One or more pubs are also close at hand if you want to have a pint as is various food outlets so we do not feel the need to hold you close, well not that close  ;-)

That said games and or painting are the glue that links all our blogs and as such we will have games to watch, games to join in and space to err play games. It's still early days so we don't have a list of games booked yet, though pick up games will be welcome, especially on the Sunday but more on that later. One thing is key to how James see's the event and that's quite free and easy. We do not plan to have events regimented to the minute and we plan to be more reactionary to events through the weekend than regimental. Not that we will not have structure we certainly will but nothing than constrains or reduces the relaxed feel of the weekend.

We already have one excellent demo for the Saturday booked and also Mantic Games are supplying rules and starter sets of some of their games which I will be hoping to demo on the Saturday for anyone willing to give it a go. Saturday is all about playing either games that have been booked to be ran as participation or demo games (we have a number of interested parties yet to confirm) or games put on off the hoof. Sunday will mostly be about playing scratch games (mostly skirmish level) and James wants to get a massive X Wing game running were everyone who wants in just has to bring their own set/s along. This could indeed be something to see!

It's not all figures either. I will bring a selection of German or Euro Games for one of the days (or both) and will be happy to play these with anyone wanting a less eye candy based game so if you have wondered what all the fuss is about, it's a good opportunity to try them. Sunday though is the day just to challenge a mate or a stranger to a quick fire game of something and laugh, make sure you bring plenty of laughs as they will be in great demand.

Again though it's not all fun and games, well it's all fun but we also have a tutorial or three for the weekend where you can learn from the pro's how they tackle certain aspects of the hobby. Confirmed is Loki with terrain building, for those who do not know Loki happens to make his living via terrain building under the banner of Terra Firma Studio so nip over to his website and chalk up yet another reason to attend.

Of course I can't not mention the hosts for the weekend Wargames Foundry, who are providing us with all the space we need and a unique opportunity to host a weekend convention that just has NEVER been tried before and can cope with numbers great or small. They even are throwing in free Tea and Coffee all weekend. 

If they stopped their they would be top gents, but how about this? They are offering to cast a commemorative figure for the weekend, but this is where it gets exciting, they would like us the punters to come up with a green for them to cast too. Again pop over to the Blog-Con blog for full details and may the force be with you.